Simple Simon (nursery Rhyme) - in Popular Culture

In Popular Culture

• Rafael Pombo, a Colombian poet, made a translation and adaptation of this nursery rhyme in Spanish language entitled "Simon, el Bobito".

• Laurel and Hardy "played", respectively, Simple Simon and the pieman in Walt Disney's animated short, Mother Goose Goes Hollywood.

• Simple Simon also appeared in the 1933 Disney cartoon Old King Cole.

• Simple Simon was played by Charley Rogers in Babes in Toyland (1934 film).

• The Three Stooges did a variant version, which began the usual way, and ended:

Said the pieman to Simple Simon,

"Show me first your penny."

Said Simple Simon to the pieman,

"Scram! Ya don't get any!"

(And a pie in the face)

• In the film Die Hard with a Vengeance, the first lines of antagonist Simon Gruber, played by Jeremy Irons, are a taunt to the police:

"Said Simple Simon to the pie man going to the fair: Give me your pies... or I'll cave your head in."

• Another variant of the nursery rhyme was an animated film on Sesame Street, in which instead of the pieman, Simple Simon meets three weird looking animals; a wingless duck with boots, a sheep with two small legs, and a snake with wings and boots. He presumes that something is wrong, and while he's thinking, the animals correct themselves until they have their correct parts. Then, somewhat late, Simple Simon has figured out what's wrong: "Sheep don't wear boots!"

• In a season 15 episode of The Simpsons entitled Simple Simpson, Homer becomes a pie throwing super hero and leaves the following note after pieing Comic Book Guy:

"Evildoers beware! Signed, Simple Simon your friendly neighborhood Pieman".

• In a Bullwinkle's Corner segment of the Rocky and Bullwinkle Show, while performing Simple Simon, Bullwinkle and Boris Badenov transition into a version of Abbot and Costello's Who's on First sketch.

• In the 2007 film American Gangster New York mob boss Frank Lucas, played by Denzel Washington frustratingly remarks twice with the insult:

"Simple Simon ass mother****ers...."

When making references to members of his house staff during a fit of rage.

• Simple Simon and the Pieman were used as the logo of Howard Johnson's restaurants from the 1930s onward. The logo was found on the weathervane on top of a cupola on the restaurants, and as well next to the door among other places. The chain was once nationwide in the USA but has now virtually disappeared.

• Simple Simon is the cheapest item offered on the menu of the Bluth´s Original Frozen Banana stand in the TV show Arrested Development.